Full-fashioned stocking



April 4, 1950 P. SCHMIDT 2,503,221

FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING Filed Oct. 22} 1945 I Sheets-Sheet 1 F1 5 41.; FlE- i- INVENTOR Hut 15 hmidf/ P. SCHMIDT FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING April 4, 1950 Filed 0d. 22, 1945 4 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR fa/ui ts'chmw April 4, 1950 P. SCHMIDT 2,503,221

FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING Filed Oct. 22, 1945 7 sheets-sheet s INVENTOR TTORNEY 5 April 45,1950 P. SCHMIDT 2,503,221

v FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING Filed Oct. 22, 1945 I 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 F '1 F's-.5. IF: 12--5- ,zfi $5 55 a. 5'5 .5 INVENTOR F M? Schmidi BY April 4, 1950 4 P. SCHMIDT '1 2 FULL-FASHIONED s'rocxmc Filed 001;. 22, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 F 1' IE- -7- 35 INVENTOR Alpril 4, 1950 4 P. SCHMIDT 2,503,221

FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING Filed Oct. 22, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 6' Firs--5- I HF '1E- E;

INVENTO R Schmzdt I April 4, 1950 P. SCHMIDT FULL-FASHIONED s rocxmc Filed Got. 22, 1945 'r Shets-She et 7 INVENTOR F6 11; Sh midi Patented Apr. 4, 1950 FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING Paul Schmidt, Wytheville, Va., assignor to Wytheville Knitting Mills, Wytheville, Va., a corporation of Virginia Application October 22, 1945, Serial No. 623,677

31 Claims.

The present invention relates to full-fashioned stockings and more particularly to heel construc-v tions for flat knit single unit stockings.

The stockings disclosed herein, in some respects include features disclosed and claimed in applicant's copending application, filed July 12, 1944, Serial No. 544,478, now Patent No. 2,390,003, and comprise certain improvements or additions over such prior construction.

Full-fashioned flat knit stockings have been commonly made by either of two methods, one by the so-called two-machine, i. e., by a legger and a footer, and the other, the single unit machine adapted to knit a complete stocking. By comparison, the method of manufacturing single unit stockings offers large advantages in the way of reduced capital investment, lower product cost and reduction in manual labor per unit. Many forms of single unit full-fashioned stockings have therefore been proposed by various inventors but the two unit stocking has persisted largely due to difflculties encountered with the heel parts of single unit stockings. Of the different forms of single unit stockings proposed, it is considered that the form of heel first widened and then narrowed and having closed selvages throughout, so that the rear seam may be run up from toe to welt without interruption, offers the greatest advantages over the two unit stockings as to cost, and simplicity of manufacture. The difficulties as to fit, size of heel, elasticity of the fabric and tendency to slide heretofore encountered in this form of heel construction having closed selvages have been overcome, either wholly or largely, by the present invention.

In order that a stocking heel may fit properly it must have a form close to that of the intended wearers heel and instep so that the fabric will not be unequally distended but will be of substantially the same apparent density throughout when on the foot and without wrinkles either in the heel proper or in the instep.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel single unit full-fashioned flat knit stocking of the closed selvage type which will have a correct fit and which will maintain a material advantage in the cost of manufacture over two unit full-fashioned stockings.

However, a knitted stocking heel, although of a form such that the fabric is distended substantially uniformly when in use, may fail in an unduly short time if the loops are stretched too tightly du to an insufficiency of fabric and it may also cause discomfort to the wearer.

It is another object of the invention to proand circumferentially of the garment. However, in fashioning the heel part or zone to obtain widened and narrowed portions, the normal elasticity in one or both said directions is often disturbed and thus a stocking heel may fail unduly soon because this insuflicient elasticity is in capable to accommodate the changes in form of the wearers foot in use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel fiat knit heel part for a single unit stocking in which the heel fabric retains a high and substantially uniform elasticity throughout the area including both widened and narrowed portions.

While it is necessary to have enough fabric in the heel and instep parts to provide comfort and avoid abnormal stresses on the loops, this often causes a difficulty in that the heel may then slide in use, thereby not only producing undue wear but giving the stocking a poor appearance by displacing or distorting the back seam.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel fashioned heel part for a single unit stockingwhich will retain its initial position on the wearers heel and at the same time contain suflicient fabric to provide comfort and to permit its elasticity to accommodate changes of form of the foot in use without generating undue stress in the fabric.

The widening and narrowing of the flat blank for the stocking are carried out in a manner such that, when the blank has been folded and seamed, a pronounced angle is formed between the narrowed and widened portions in position to correspond to the vertex of the wearers heel and it conforms closely in use to the shape of the heel and instep of the average wearer while retaining a high percentage of the elasticity of plain fabric in both the walewise and coursewise directions with the result that, when the heel fabric is stretched within comfortable limits, there is no tendency to wrinkle across the instep and there are no localized areas of undue stress in which the wales and courses are separated in materially greater degree than in the remainder of the heel part. These results are accomplished by fashioning the heel fabric in a special way. Further, the fashioning is so carried out that the heel part of the blank is definitely shaped, after being removed from the needles, so that it closely conforms to the configuration of the wearers heel. This result is secured almost entirely by the novel fashioning of the heel part proper without the necessity of special structure in the instep-sole part, although certain emphasis may be further obtained by a particular form of gusset narrowing. The most important effects of the fashioning performed flow from the use of single needle comb or point narrowing in the narrowed portion of the heel part, this permitting the majority of the courses needed to properly cover the length of the wearers heel to be apportioned to the desirable gradual widening of the heel fabric and permitting so many fashion marks to be formed in the narrowed portion of heel fabric as is required to warp the fabric and cause it to cling to the wearers heel to prevent it from slipping in use, while retaining a uniformly distributed high degree of elasticity. Therefore, the special features in the instep-sole part proposed by others for anchoring the heel fabric may be wholly omitted, or, if preferred, the single needle narrowing may be employed in the instep-sole part as well as in the heel part. The results of single needle narrowing are importantly supplemented by using single needle widening in the upper part of theheel. While this feature is old in itself and certain prior workers in the field of single unit flat knit hosiery have criticised the use of comb widening, it has been found to provide durable fabric, to give a correct form and size to the heel portion lying above the vertex of the heel and to maintain a high degree of elasticity in the fabric as well as shaping it so that it clings to the wearers foot, thereby combining with the single needle point narrowing to prevent both the upper and lower portions of the heel part from sliding on the wearer's heel in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of carrying out single needle narrowing in the heel part of flat knit stockings by making a plurality of fashion marks in each of a multiplicity of immediately successive courses thereby producing a rapid narrowing of the fabric while maintaining a uniform high degree of elasticity.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the novel features of construction and arrangements as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one form of stocking within the scope of this invention; I

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a stocking blank from which the stocking of Fig. 1 was made;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view in plan of a portion of the blank of Fig. 2, much enlarged as compared to Fig. 2, showing the relative positions of the stops for the yarn carriers at the times at which yarn is laid to the needles, and the lace marks and the fashion marks in the positions they occupy while their courses are still on the needles but at the completion of all operations on each course, the centra1 part of the blank being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the steps involved in a novel method of narrowing used in making certain portions of the stocking and blank shown in Figs. 1 and 2 respectively;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a second form of stocking within the invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank for making the stocking shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a, diagrammatic plan view similar to Fig. 3 but showing details of the heel of the blanl; corresponding to the stocking shown in F Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a third form of stocking within the invention;

Fig, 9 is a plan view of a blank for making the stocking shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view similar to Figs. 3 and 6 but showing on an enlarged scale the details of the blank corresponding to the stocking of Fig. 8.

As is well known, stockings of the general types mentioned and described generally hereinabove are made on straight knitting machines and most frequently on straight knitting machines of the full-fashioned type. Said full-fashioned knitting machines comprise a plurality of knitting sections each of which includes a needle bar having a row of spring beard needles therein and a yarn carrier for laying yarn parallel to the needle row on the noses of sinkers and dividers which are mounted to reciprocate horizontally while the needles move generally vertically. As soon as the yarn is laid, the sinkers press it against the vertical shanks of the needles and it is then divided by the sinkers befor being knitted into a course, yarn for a course being laid and knitted during a given revolution of a main camshaft in which the camshaft is in its knitting position. When fashioning is to be accomplished, the main camshaft is shifted longitudinally to a narrowing position. For fashioning purposes, a narrowing machine and narrowing heads" are incorporated into the full-fashioned knitting machine, there being a narrowing head at each end of the machine. The narrowing machine includes a set of horizontal narrowing rods mounted to slide in guides at the end of forwardly extending curved arms pivoted at the rear of the machine. Said rods have sets of fashioning parts, commonly called narrowing points, carried in combs fixed thereto and said curved arms are held so that their forward ends hold the fashioning points up out of the way of the needles during knitting. When it is desired to fashion the fabric, that is to narrow or widen it, a narrowing revolution is performed in which the yarn carriers are prevented from operating, the arms of the fashioning machine lowered or dipped to bring the points down into contact with the needles, while length of the paths of the yarn carriers is usually changed an amount equal to two needle spaces by means of end stops. At the same time, the path of the needles is modified compared to that given them during a knitting revolution so that the needles cooperate with the points as the points are first dipped and raised partly to permit the points to take loops from the needles in contact therewith. Said narrowing heads are then operated to turn each a threaded spindle a specified angular degree to move a nut to shift said rods inwardly or outwardly as the case may be to move the fashioning points the necessary distances. At the same time, if it is desired to change the length of path of the yarn carriers at this time, second spindles on the narrowing heads move other nuts to shift the end stops two needle spaces. The points are then dipped a second time during the revolution and the loops replaced on needles different from the ones on which they were formed. Said threaded splndies are turned by racking pawls forming parts of the heads, the majority of said pawls acting in the first part of a narrowing revolution, while one pawl in each head, one often called a pullback pawl, acts in the latter part of a narrowing revolution, so that two turning movements of the threaded spindles for shifting the points may be made in one narrowing revolution by using said pull-back pawl after one of the other pawls has acted. The standard pull-back pawl acts to shift the points only one needle space, the distance between two next adjacent needles, but special pawls have been proposed for shifting the fashioning points in either the narrowing direction or the widening direction for two or more needle spaces as desired and which act at the same time in the revolution as does the standard pull-back pawl. Pawls of this char: acter are assumed to be used herein for giving the fashioning points idle movements of three needle spaces in either direction as desired.

In the case of most narrowing operations, the points are moved twice the distance between next adjacent needles in an operation forming fashion marks, so-called two needle narrowing. In certain parts of a stocking within the invention, the points are moved only the distance between the next adjacent needles in an operation forming fashion marks, the so-called single needle narrowing. This has been found desirable in that it maintains a greater elasticity in the narrowed portions than when using two needle narrowing while avoiding lumpy spots and therefore permits the necessary large number of narrowings to be placed in the courses which fall under the heel of the wearer in use while obtaining the elasticity necessary for a good fitting, comfortable and long wearing heel. Also, in widening a stocking within the invention, the points are preferably used. As is now customary, only one-needle steps are used and it has been found that fabric so widened is durable and embodies the characteristics hereinabove set forth as desirable in fabric for the heel of a single unit stocking.

A stocking within the invention has a heel part widened by single needle steps every two courses,

the yarn carrier stroke being changed two needles every four courses. Said part has a narrowed portion closely following the end of the widened portion in the direction of knitting, the first fashion mark in the narrowed portion preferably lying in a course only about two courses from the one containing the last lace openings formed in widening. The narrowed portion of the heel part is narrowed quite abruptly and back. The invention may, however, be as readily applied to a short length stocking or to a half hose as to a full length stocking such as I9. Blank 29 is a fiat fabric piece and is shown as havinga turned welt 21, lines of fashion marks blank 20 shown in Fig. 2 and seaming it up the 22, 22 indicating upper leg or thigh narrowing-i,

and lines of fashion marks 23, 23 indicating lower leg or calf narrowings, the lower ends of said lines 23 marking the end of the leg portion 24 of the blank and stocking. Following portion 24 in the direction from welt to toe, the direction of knitting, is an ankle portion 25, followed in turn by a foot portion 26 containing heel parts 27, gusset or instep-sole parts 28, sole parts 29 and toe 30. Said ankle part has parallel selvages while the heel parts are first widened and then narrowed relative to the ankle part, heel parts 27 having widening or gore lines and also having narrowing lines, said lines, widening and narrowing, in parts 21 being more fully described hereinbelow. The part 28 contains lines 3| of fashion marks produced by gusset narrowings and the toe part 30 contains lines 32 of fashion marks produced by toe narrowings. Beginning at a line about midway of the ankle part 25 is a reinforced or plated area 33 along each selvage, which extends from said beginning line to a. junction in the toe region, the inner edge of the reinforced area being indicated by the line; 34, and upper portions 35 of said plated area being commonly referred to as the high splice heel.

The widenings for the heel parts 21 begin immediately below the high splice heel portions 35 and involve transferring outward two preferably wide groups of loops one needle space per operation to build loops onto the selvages to increase the overall width of the blank and-to make Widening or gore lines 36 composed of laceopenings each of one wale in coursewise extent. As

P appears clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the full extent of gore lines 36 are within the reinforcedarea 33, and these lines 36 extend parallel to the lines of the selvages of the widened part 21.

As above indicated, the stops for the yarn carriers are moved either outwardor inward in steps of two needle spaces each, that is steps of twice the distances between two immediately adjacent needles, whereas the loops are stepped out by the points only one needle space per operation in making lines 36. Hence, it is preferred to move the end stops for the carriers only once for every two loop transferring operations in said lines 36. In making the blank 20, it hasv been assumed that the end stops are moved out two needle spaces at the first loop transferring operation, the next loop transferring operation then being performed without moving the end stops. Assuming also there are an even number of lace openings in lines 36, the movements of the yarn carriers and end stops throughout the production of lines 36 can be understood merely by considering the last two lace openings in one of lines 36. This will be gone into more in detail hereinbelow.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in addition to the general construction already described as far as concerns the parts from the welt through the gore lines 36, the narrowed portion of heel parts 2'! follow the widened portions almost immediately, there being only about one plain'course between the course containing the last lace opening and the course containing the first fashion marks. Further, the fashion marks in the preceding narrowed portions are arranged to first form two single lines beginning one near each selvage and extending inwardly from the selvage in the direction of knitting and then to form double lines, one double line following closely after each of said single lines in the direction of knitting and the double lines running substantially parallel to the selvages. A relatively large 7 number of fashion marks is crowded into the narrowed portions of heel parts 21 in proportion to the number of courses therein, thereby obtaini-ng a sharp narrowing effect causing the narrowed selvage's to form acute angles with the succeeding unfashioned selvages in Fig. 3.

The narrowed parts 28 and 30 which follow the heel parts 21 are not narrowed so abruptly as the latter especially so as to parts 28, and the lines of fashion marks 3| in parts 28 are at least generally parallel to the selvages as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 while the lines 32 of fashion marks in the toe definitely incline toward the selva'ges in their upper portions and parallel the selvages in their lower portions. The toe 30 of the blank 20 is finished at 40 by a group of ravel courses to facilitate a looping operation to close the toe of the stocking.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 showing the lower portion of the heel parts 21 and adjacent portions of the foot, it will be understood that this figure represents each course of the fabric as it stands on the needles just before being knitted on, the horizontal dimensions being proportional to spaces between needles or wales and the vertical dimensions proportional to distances between courses. Further, the selvages are shown in Fig. 3 in the form of steps the horizontal sides or treads 4| of which are two needle spaces while the vertical sides or lifts I of which vary from four courses to one course in height, it being noted that the distance between two next adjacent courses is assumed as equal to one needle space. Said lifts 42 mark the positions of the end stops for the yarn carriers at the time yarn is laid to the needles for making a course, while said treads 4| represent the distance the end stops move when the stops are shifted at certain of the times loops are transferred by points.

Considering, more especially the widening operations resulting in the gore lines 35 and the widened portions of the selvages of heel parts 21, it will be seen that the lace openings in lines 38 are only two courses apart whereas the lifts T2 in the widened portions of the heel are four "courses long, indicating that the end stops are moved out only "every other time loops are transferred outward. This is because outward transfers are for only one needle space each, this having been found desirable, and the end stops are always moved 'two needle spaces at a time, so that two outward transfers are required to bring the edge loo'ps in walewise alignment with the end stops. In order to maintain the end stops and selvages in walewise alignment as much of the time as possible when widening, either the end stops may be moved at the time of the first of each two outward transfer of loops and then the end stops maintained stationary at the secend of the two outward transfers to bring the 'selvages and end stops into alignment with the selvages, or the opposite procedure may be used of moving the end stops at the time of making the second "of the two outward transfer of loops. Assuming that the first of said procedures is be- 'ing employed, the one in which the end stops are moved at each first outward transfer of loops, and assuming that the next to the last course containing lace openings shown in Fig. 3 is the first of two in which outward transfers occurs, it will be understood that the positions of the end Stops at the time yarn is laid forsaid next to the last com'se is that indicated by the particular lifts, numbered 13 which terminate at their lower ends at the course containing said next to the last lace openings, numbered 44. After the yarn for said next to the last course has been knitted, groups of loops beginning at the selvages and extending some distance inwardly therefrom are transferred outwardly one needle space, the end stops being moved outwardly two needle spaces at the same time, as indicated by treads at the ends of the course. Yarn is then laid for the next course, a plain one, the end stops being maintained stationary. Yarn will therefore be laid to needles outside the ones holding the edge loops in said plain course but this will have no effect, the loops initially formed by the sinkers on such outside needles dropping out because of absence of any old loops on these needles. Yarn is then laid and knitted for a second course following said next to the last course, the one containing lace marks 44. Now, however, the loops are transferred outwardly one needle space to make the last pair of lace openings in lines 36, numbered 46, and thereby to bring the salvage or edge loops to the same positions as the end stops, that is to the positions indicated by vertical lines 41.

It now becomes necessary to narrow the fabric and it is desired to do this rapidly so as to prevent the heel parts 27 from being too long but in a way to decrease the natural elasticity of plain knitted fabric as little as possible. To this end, contrary to the more usual rountine used in making fashion marks such as in lines 22, 23 and 32 in which the loops are transferred inward two needle spaces per narrowing operation, the loops involved in a narrowing operation are moved inward only one needle space. The fashion marks resulting from the first loop transferring operation in the narrowed portions of parts 2'! are shown at and are found in the course only two courses from the one containing the last lace marks 46. In making the fashion marks in the narrowed portions of heel parts 21, the fashioning points, commonly called narrowing points, are manipulated according to a particular routine, being moved three needle spaces, then dipped to pick up loops from certain needles, then moved inward one needle space and then dipped to replace the previously lifted loops on needles next adjacent those on which they were formed, the resulting narrowing not, however, being indicated on Fig. 3 in the course containing marks 50 because the end stops are not moved until after the next course has been knitted. Here again, as the loops are transferred only one needle space per operation while the end stops must be moved two needle spaces at a time, the end stops are moved only once for each two loop-transferring operations. Considering now the course in which the fashion marks 50 are to be formed, the combs in which the narrowing points are carried will have been moved so that the imrerrnost narrowing points will stand two needle spaces inside the edge loops or over the third loop. As soon then as the course which is to receive fashion marks 50 has been knitted, the narrowing points on each side are dipped to pick the edge loops and the two loops inward therefrom of the needles. The points are then moved inward one needle space and the loops held thereon redeposited each on a needle next adjacent the one on which it was formed, the'combs each being moved inward three needle spaces after the loops have been redepos'ited but in the same revolution.

The end stops, however, are not moved at this time as is indicated by the fact that the lifts '41 extend downward past the end of the course containing the first fashion marks in the nar rowed portions of parts 21. After the transfer, the edge loop will, however, stand one needle space-within the position of the end stop at each side of the fabric. As is clear also from Fig. 3, one fashion mark is made relatively near each selvage in each of several immediately successive courses following the one containing said first fashion'marks 55. When now yarn is laid for the next course following the first fashion mark 50, the end stops not having been moved, yarn will be laid to a needle outside the edge loop at each side of the fabric. The next course is then knitted. However, as there are no old loops for said outside new loops to knit with, they drop out. Then the points are clipped and the loops picked up by them are moved inward one needle space. The points are then dipped again to return the loops thereon each to a needle next adjacent the one on which it was formed, thereby making other fashion marks, one relatively near each selvage of the fabric. The wales containing said marks 50 are, of course, moved inward along with all the loops from the edge loops in ward in making said other marks, so that only two plain loops and wales remain betweenthe wales of said marks and said other or second marks in the courses of the latter although eight needles and wales inclusive are involved in all inmaking each pair of marks per side of the fabric, two wales being eliminated by the transfers for forming the marks and two wales being taken up by the marks themselves in addition to two wales outside the first mark and two wales between the two marks. At the same time that the points are moved one needle space the second time, the end stops are moved two needle spaces, thereby bringing the end stops to the position corresponding to the selvage loops as is plainly indicated in Fig. 3 by the first treads 4! at the selvages in the narrowing direction, the ones in the course containing the second pair of fashion marks. The same routine used in making the first two sets of fashion marks is now repeated in two more next adjacent courses, two plain (those without fashion marks) wales only remaining in each of the four courses between the wales of two next successive marks to form single rows 5| which incline inwardly from the selvages, forming acute angles with the selvages whose vertices are close to themarks 50.

I In the fifth narrowed course, however, two fashion marks are made at each side of the fabric in the same course, the end stops being moved two needle spaces at the time of making the second fashion marks in said fifth course. To this end, after the fourth marks have been made in lines 5!, the points are moved inward three needle spaces and dipped to pick up certain loops from their needles and moved one needle space inwardly and then dipped again to deposit the loops on the points on needles next adjacent the ones on which they were formed to make marks 52. Second fashion marks 53, are then made in the same course as marks 52, the points being, however, moved outward three needle spaces just after marks 52 have been completed so that marks 53 lie between marks 52 and the selvages. Marks 52 and 53 constitute the first in two double rows of fashion marks 54 each of which follows immediately after one of the rows 5| and contains two single narrowings in each narrowed course within its ends, although it is not necessary to narrow quite all the courses, four plain courses being provided within the ends of lines 54, one plain course'between the first two narrowed courses, one plain course between the.

second and third narrowed courses, one plain course between the next to the last narrowed course and the one next preceding it, and one: plain course between the last narrowed course and the next to the last narrowed course. In the arrangement shown, the two marks in a given course in each double line" have a plain wale between them. However, the invention is not limited in this respect-a'sthere need'be no plain wale between the marks ina given course in the- The end stops not having been; moved in making marks 52, they are moved at double lines.

the time of making said fashion'marks 53. .Two plain wales remain initially between each mark 52 and the mark in the next preceding course.- When the loops are transferred the second time in the same course, points 52 arenot moved in-? ward from the positions shown'for them but the wales containing the marks in the next preceding course are moved inward one needle space when" marks 53 are formed, with the result that'only one plain wale remains between each of the wales having marks 52 therein and the wales contain ing the fashion marks in "the next preceding course, the wale containing the last mark in each row 5| therefore combining withthe same:

wale as mark 53 in the completed fabric. i

As marks 52 are made before marks 53 but marks 53 are nearerthe selvages, a different routine is required in making rows 5 from that followed in making rows 5|. -'As' soonin the pro duction of marks 52 as theloopshave been deposited on the needles next adjacent those on:

which they were formed; 'the points are shifted three needle spaces outward, then there is a nar-- rowing revolution in which the points are dipped to pick up loops from certain needles and the points are then shifted one needle space inward and the loops deposited on the needles in posi-' tions to make -marks 53 and so that marks 53" are in the same course as marks 52'with a plain wale between them. After making said marks 53,

the combs are shifted three needle spacesinward in the same revolution. As shown, a plain course is now knitted followed by another course. Then follows a narrowing revolution in-which the points the wales containing marks 52 and-53 and the wale between them are all-moved inward one loop so that the wales containing marks '52 he next the wales containingmarks55' in; the, course-- Similarly, when marks 56; are formed, the wales containing marks 53 are.

of marks 55.

stepped inward twice, once when marks 55 are formed and a second time when marks .56 are formed, so that thewales containing marks =53- ultimately combine with the wales containing marks 56. In other words, the wales containing marks 53 are eliminated when; marks 55 -are f-C formed. After marks 56 have been completed,- another plain course'is knitted and the same routine is then employed as in making marks 52, 53, 55 and 56' to make two single needle;

narrowings-at each side of the fabric in each of.

a considerable number of immediately successive courses, eighteen being shown. Then comes a plain course followed by one having two fashion marks in each row 54, then another plain course and .finally one having two. loops in each of rows 54 to complete the rows. The same routine being used in making all the fashion marks in rows 54, the same relation of wales and marks obtains throughout these double lines.

The method of making the fashion marks in lines 5| and 54 will perhaps be best understood from Fig. 4 in which an example of making two successive pairs of fashion marks in lines 54 is shown in seven successive row-s. This method involves using groups of narrowing points 59, one group on each side of the stocking fabric. A portion of one group of points is shown in each row of Fig. 4 in a position such as they would occupy at the beginning of a cycle in which two fashion marks are to be formed in one course, this position being also the one occupied by the points at the beginning of a narrowing revolution. Such points 59 may be conveniently carried on combs (not shown) in the usual manner. In Fig. 4, loops 60 of a portion of a course 6| containing a set of fashion marks in lines 54 are shown on needles 61 forming part of a needle row of a full-fashioned knitting machine. Points 5! are indicated in front of the needles in Fig. 4, the points actually being also above the needles and loops, at the beginning of a narrowing revolution. The points are then brought down as the needles descend but faster than the needles so that the points take a group of loops including an and loop 63 of!" the needles at each end of course 8| as indicated diagrammatically in the second row of Fig. 4. The points are then raised while the needles are near the lower ends of their paths and shifted inwardly one needle space, i. e. the distance between two. next adjacent needles. The points. are then brought down into contact with the needles as shown in the third row of Fig. 4 (counting from the top of Fig. 4 downward) and the loops are returned to the needles. The innermost loop of a group of transferred loops is, however, now on a needle already having another loop thereon, thus forming a fashion mark such as 55. As a plain loop is desired on the outer side of each fashion mark in lines 54, the points are then moved out so that the innermost point is three needle spaces from the needle having the mark 55 thereon to the position shown in the fourth row of Fig. 4. The operation of dipping the points is now repeated as indicated in the fifth row of Fig. 4, the groups of loops picked up by the points on the second dip being three less than in the first dipping or narrowing revolution as is also shown in said fifth row. Thereafter, the points are again shifted inwardly one needle space and the loops deposited on the needles, forming a second fashion mark, mark 56, in the same course with a plain loop 84 in between the two as is shown in the sixth row of Fig. 4. The points are now moved inward three needle spaces in the latter part of the narrowing revolution in which marks 56 were made and another course then knitted, thereby bringing the loops, needles and points into the relative positions shown in the seventh row of m. 4. The same cycle may then be repeated to make two fashion marks spaced by a single plain loop. in said other course and so on for as many courses as desired. The resulting rows 54 will be seen to be parallel to the selvages because the outward three-needle steps of the :points balance the inward three needle steps of the points and 12 the end stops are moved inward every other oneneedle step of the points.

As is clear from Fig. 2, narrowing in the heel zone is approximately the same as the amount of the previous widening, so that the coursewise distance between the selvages at end of the heel part or zone nearer the toe is approximately the same as the coursewise dimension of the ankle.

The gusset or instep-sole parts 28 are then made. As shown in Fig. 3, a number of plain courses are knitted followed by the gusset narrowings which form double rows 3| parallel to the selvages, one along each selvage but, instead of having two fashion marks per narrowed course as in rows 54, rows 3| have only one fashion mark per narrowed course, the fashion marks being first one in the outer row and then one in the inner row of each double row with three plain courses between. However, the marks in rows 3| are made according to the same routine as those in rows 54 except as to the number of courses per mark, the combs being shifted three needle spaces inward after making the first marks in rows 3| and then shifted three needle spaces outward after making the second marks in rows 3 I, inward movements of one needle space each being made in the formation of each mark. As indicated, Fig. 3, by the treads at the selvages in the portion of fabric containing lines 3 I, the end stops for the yarn carriers are moved inward two needle spaces every other narrowed course within the ends of said lines to maintain the end stops as nearly as possible in the positions corresponding to those of the points.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7 as Well as that shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the fashion marks in the narrowed portions of the heel parts are arranged in the form of V-shaped figures, the sides of the figures intersecting to form angles at the inner ends of the figures. In the form shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7, there are three such figures along each narrowed selvage, the large end of each being at the selvage and the small end pointing inwardly away from the selvagc. In the form shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, there is only one V-shaped figure along each selvage, the large end being at. the salvage and the small end pointing away from it. Referring more particularly to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the stocking shown in Fig. 5 is made by seaming up the edges of the blank 8| shown in Fig. 6. The con struction of stocking 80 andblank 8| may be of the same construction as the stocking l9 and blank 20 except as to the heel parts and instep sole parts and the same reference characters have been applied to the parts of stocking 80 and blank 8| which have the same construction as those in stocking l9 and blank 20 and no further description of stocking 80 and blank 8i is therefore given except as to the heel parts 82 and instep sole parts of stocking 80 and, blank Bl. Parts 82- comprise gore or widening lines 83 in all respects like gore lines 36 of the form of stocking and blank shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. As in portions 21, a large number of fashion marks are crowded into the narrowed portions of parts 82. Similarly to Fig. 3, in Fig. 7, there is a distance proportional to only one plain course between the last lace openings in lines 83 and the first fashion marks 84, it being understood that Fig. 7 is the same as Fig. 3 insofar as the showing of the lace openings, the proportions and the meanings of the lifts and treads in the widened and narrowed portions of the parts are concerned. In forming the marks 84, the fashioning combs are placed so that their innermost points stand two needle spaces inside the corresponding positions of the end stops as indicated by the lifts 47 at the widest portions of the parts 82, The points are then dipped in a narrowing revolution to pick up three loops including the edge loops and moved inward one needle space and the loops deposited on the needles but on the ones next adjacent those on which they were formed to make the fashion marks 84. Just after the marks 84 have been formed and in the same narrowing revolution, the points are stepped inward three needle spaces. Another course is then laid and knitted. The end stops, however, are not moved at the time of making marks 88 so that yarn is laid to a needle outside the edge loop at each side of the fabric. As there are no old loops for the outside new loops to knit with, they drop out. The points are then dipped in a narrowing revolution and the loops picked up by them are moved inward one needle space and dipped again to return the loops thereon each to a needle next adjacent the one on which it was formed, thereby making another pair of fashion marks, said other marks being contained in the course next to the one containing marks 84. The end stops are moved inward two needle spaces at the time of making said other fashion marks as indicated by the treads at the edges of Fig. 7 in the course containing said other marks. The same routine as that used in making marks 84 and those in the course next thereto is then repeated to make six fashion marks, all in next adjacent courses, the end stops being moved inward only every other time fashion marks are made in said courses to form rows 85 of alined marks, one relatively near each selvage but inclined inwardly at a sharper angle than the selvages, so that lines 85 form acute angles with the narrowed parts of the selvages. The last of said six marks are indicated by numerals 86.

Beginning with the course containing marks 88, two fashion marks are made per narrowed course for nineteen courses, all but one of which are narrowed. Therefore, after the formation of marks 86, a variation is introduced into the routine. In the same narrowing revolution in which marks 88 were made, the fashioning points are moved inward near the end of the revolution, as before but a second narrowing revolution is then made before knitting another course. In said second narrowing revolution, the points are dipped and moved inward one needle space as usual and dipped again to make marks 87.

It will be observed that the first five fashion marks in a line 85 are equally spaced in Fig. '7 but that marks 88 are shown as having greater spaces between them and the next preceding marks than there are between other sets of marks in the lines. The spaces in the fabric are the same but they are shown greater in Fig. '7 because the loops forming marks 86 were moved inwardly another one needle space from the positions in which they were formed when the loops forming marks 87 were moved inward, the two sets of marks being in the same course. After the completion of the last mentioned course by the formation of marks 81, the points are moved inward again three needle spaces and another course laid and knitted. The points are then used as before to make marks 88, the end stops being moved inward two needle spaces at the same time.

Marks 88 are the innermost marks of the first set of the V-shaped figures shown in Fig. 'l'and mentioned hereinabove. It follows that still an other variation in the routine is necessary after the completion of marks 88 to continue the production of one or more V-shaped figures by fashion marks.

Therefore, it is now desired to change the general direction of movement of the fashionin points from one in which the innermost points move inward from the selvages to one in which the innermost points move outward toward the selvages. The next movement of the points after the formation of marks 88 is one toward the selvages. To permit the mechanism for moving the points to be as simple as possible, the points are moved the same distance between transferring operations when moving toward the selvages as when moving away from them. However, the

transferring steps are necessarily inward and the resulting spacing of the fashion marks is different. The next movement of the points after the formation of marks 88, therefore, is one of three needle spaces toward the selvages. Thereupon, the points are dipped to pick certain loops off the needles and the points moved inward one needle space before being dipped again to restore the loops held thereon to needles next adjacent those on which they were formed. Therefore, the second fashion marks in the same course as marks 88 are three minus one or two needle spaces outward from marks 88, there being a single plain wale in between. Also, the points having been moved outward a distance of only three needles before making the marks next adjacent marks 88 while the loops in the wales containing marks 81 are moved inward another needle at the time of making the second fashion marks in the same course as marks 88, the wales containing marks 81 are next adjacent the inner marks in the course containing marks 88 at the level of marks 88 in Fig. 7. The end stops having already been moved once in this course, they are maintained stationary at the time of making the second marks in the course having marks 88 therein.

Yarn for the next course is then laid and knitted, the points being moved outward three needle spaces, dipped and moved inward one needle space and the loops picked up on said last dipping movement redeposited on the needles by a second dip, the end stops being moved inwardly two needle spaces at the same time the points are moved inward one space. This routine is continued, but moving the stops only every other loop transferring operation, until there are two pairs of fashion marks one pair at each end in each of four next adjacent courses, and the pairs forming double lines 98 of fashion marks inclined sharply toward the selvages. After another course has been knitted, the points are then again moved out three needle spaces, dipped and moved in one needle space at the same time the end stops are moved in two needle spaces and the points dipped a second time in the course to replace the loops on the needles.

At this course, however, only the innermost points in each comb pick up loops so that the fashion marks 92 formed at this time fall exactly at the edges of the fabric. At first the marks 92 will be each one needle space outside the positions corresponding to that of the end stops, because the end stops were moved in two needle spaces and the points only one needle space at the time of making marks 92. The direction of movement of the fashion points is now reversed again, the combs being moved inwardly three needle spaces after the formation of marks 82 and a second fashion mark then made in the same course at each end thereof. As the transferring step employed at the time of making the marks next after marks 92 involves moving the wales containing marks 92 inward one needle space, marks 92 are brought to the position shown and in which they are in positions corresponding to those of the end stops but still just at the selvages, so that there are two plain wales between marks 92 and the second marks in the same course, the same as in lines 85. The same routine is then repeated in each of three next successive courses to provide each with a pair of fashion marks spaced by two plain wales near each end of each course, to make double lines four courses in length inclining away from the selvages and to form the major parts of the upper sides of a second pair of V-shaped figures pointing away from the selvages, the innermost fashion marks of which appear at 93. The same routine is then repeated in the course next to that containing marks 93 to form marks 94 which form the vertices of said second pair of V- shaped figures. After the formation of marks 94, the points are caused to step outward three needle spaces and a second pair of fashion marks is made in the same course, the same as in the case of the course containing marks 88. The lower sides of said second pair of V-shaped figures are then formed by fashion marks made by the same routine and arranged the same way as those forming lines 99 of the first pair of V-shaped figures in parts 82, except that a single plain course is made between two of the courses containing pairs of fashion marks on the under side of said second V'-shaped figure. Here again, at the end of a double line of fashion marks at the under side of each of a pair of V-shaped figures, a final fashion mark 98 is formed at the very edge of each side of the fabric, following which the general direction of movement of the points is reversed again and the points moved inwardly to make two fashion marks per course at each end of four immediately successive courses to form double rows of fashion marks along the upper sides of a third pair of V-shaped figures pointing inwardly from the selvages, said last mentioned double rows also having two plain wales between next successive fashion marks. In the fourth course following the one containing marks 98, the points are again moved three needle spaces inward and dipped and moved another needle space inward and dipped to make fashion marks 99, one relatively near each edge of the fabric and each forming the inner end of a third V-shaped figure. The general movement of the fashionin points is then reversed again and the points stepped outward three needle spaces and dipped to pick up loops before being stepped. inward one needle space and dipped to transfer the loops thereon to needles one needle space inward from the ones on which they were formed to make two additional fashion marks in the course containing marks 99, the marks 99 each being two wales from said additional marks in the same course, that is, spaced from them by one plain wale. However, as all the loops between the selvages and those initially three needle spaces outside marks 99 are moved at the time of making the other marks in the course with marks 99", the wales intermediate the inner marks in the course next preceding marks 99 and the marks in the same course as marks 99 are eliminated in the course containing marks 99.

' The points are now used only once in each of the next five courses but according to the same routine as in making the marks just outside marks 99 to make marks spaced by single plain wales from the ones in the next preceding courses and forming the lower boundaries of the third set of V-shaped figures in the direction of knitting, the end stops being moved inward only once every other time a fashion mark is formed so that the last two lifts in parts 82 at both sides of the selvages are of two courses in height.

As is clear from Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the routine described for making the fashion marks in these figures forms plural-angled lines, doubled in their major portions but not at their ends, on opposite sides of the centre of the blank; that is, one along each selvage or one on each side of the seam.

The instep-sole parts 95 are then made starting with a number of courses by plain knitting, a. distance proportional to about eleven or twelve courses being shown in Fig. 7, but the number of plain courses used at this point may be varied according to circumstances. Parts 95 have therein the gusset narrowings for forming the lines I99 of fashion marks. While the lines I99 contain two fashion marks in each narrowed course,

' these marks are not made by the same routine of steps as that used in making any of the other lines of fashion marks in Fig. 7, the marks in lines I99 being made by the ordinary two needle narrowing, the kind used in making the fashion marks in the knee, calf and toe regions.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a full-fashioned stocking I9I of a form somewhat similar to that of Fig. 5, the blank I92 for which is shown in Fig. 9. Above the heel, the construction of stocking I9I and blank I92 is the same as the stocking 89 and blank 8 I, Figs. 5 and 6, and with the exception 01 the heel portions I95 the same reference characters have been applied to the parts of stocking IN and blank I92 as in the stocking 89 and blank 8I.

In Fig. 10, there are shown the lower portions of the widened portions and the narrowed portions of the heel parts I95 of said full-fashioned blank I92, having gore lines I93 like lines 36 and 83 but which has the fashion marks arranged to form only one V-shaped figure on each side of the blank following the widened portion of the heel zone. In Fig. 10, the second course following the last lace opening contains the first fashion marks I94, one near each selvage, formed by a. transfer step of one needle space, and spaced from the original position of the edge loops, that corresponding to the position of the end stops, by one two needle spaces. The points, as before, are moved three needle spaces in the same narrowing revolution in which marks I94 are formed, the movement of the points being inward. The end stops are not moved at the time of making fashion marks I94 so that each fashion mark I94 stands only one loop, wale or needle space from an edge loop after completion. Another course is then knitted and two single needle narrowings performed thereon at the first of which the end stops are moved inward two needle spaces to bring the end stops to the positions corresponding to those of the edge loops. fashion marks are then made per course relatively near each edge for ten immediately successive courses whereupon a single plain course is knitted and two more fashion marks made in the twelfth course following the one containing fashion marks I94 to make lines along the upper sides of the v-shaped figures and inclined inwardly from the selvages. By comparison with the lengths of treads 4| at the selvages, each of liminary to the formation of the next fashion mark. As shown in Fig. 10, the intervals appear unequal, a distance of three needle spaces appearing clearly between the marks of a pair in a; given course while a distance of five needle spaces,

equivalent tofour plain wales, seems to lie between the inner mark in one course of this group and the outer mark in the next course. However, two of said four plain wales are eliminated in making the two fashion marks in the next succeeding course, so that there are two plain wales in the fabric between the inner mark in one course and the outer mark in the next course along the upper edges of the V-shaped figures. In the next course following said twelve, a fashion mark I06 is made at each side of the center line of the blank I02, marks I06 also being spaced by three needle spaces from the last preceding fashion marks, the inner marks in said twelfth course. The general direction of movement of the points is now reversed, the points being moved out three needle spaces after the formation of each fashion mark before being dipped to pick up loops preliminary to the formation of the next fashion mark. As the points are always moved inward one needle space at the time of making a pair of fashion marks, the second marks in the course containing marks I06 are three minus one, or two, wales or needle spaces from the marks I06, there being a single plain wale between them. The same routine is then retained for making other fashion marks as in making said ones after marks I06 to form two marks per course cooperating with the marks in said thirteen courses to form the lower edges of large V-shaped figures, one on each side of the heel zone in blank I02. The last fashion marks in the last narrowed course in the heel parts of blank I 02 are indicated at I01 and are so positioned that only one plain wale lies, between each of them and the corresponding edge loop.

It will be seen, especially from Figs. 2, 6 and 9, that the narrowed heel parts or sections are all within the reinforced areas 33 the inner boundaries of which are indicated by lines such as 34.

The gusset narrowings in the form of blank shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are of the two needle type, the same as in the form of blank shown in- Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and the instep-sole region and the lines of gusset narrowings therefore have been given the same reference numerals in the two forms of blanks 8I and I02 and in the stockings made therefrom. I 7

It should be apparent from the foregoing'that the objects primarily stated have'been readily met through the means and methods therein described in detail. The disclosed embodiments of the invention each provide a new and improved single unit stocking having heel portions which not only are more economical of manufacture but are found to more satisfactorily meet conditions of fit and wear. Throughout these several modifications there are features common to all, the most essential of which is the shaping of the lower heel areas directly following the point of greatest width at the heel in single unit stockings. As will appear from an understanding of the above detailed description this shaping of the lowerheel part comprises a series of single needle narrowings so arranged as to produce a relatively sharp or acute angle at the selvage of this lower heel narrowed part while at the same time maintaining certain required elasticity in this area. Furthermore, the single needle fashion marks are so much less bulky than ordinary two-needle fashion marks or those in the outer lines of diamond points that the outlines of the blank can be made much closer than otherwise to those of the average foot without danger of discomfort to the wearer from the action of the fabric tension in pressing the fashion marks into the skin. In substantiation of the foregoing statements, it has been found through actual wear tests that the present novel construction provides in a single unit stocking all of those features of fit of the so-called two-unit stocking and certainother improvements rendering it even superior in fit and wear to all previously known single unit stockings.

Of course, the improvement specifically shown and described, by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a single unit full-fashioned stocking, a narrowed heel part including a portion having single needle fashion marks forming a line diverging from the selvage in the direction of knitting, said portion followed in the direction of knitting by a portion having a plurality of fashion marks in each of a plurality of courses forming a double row.

2. A narrowed heel part for a single unit fullfashioned stocking comprisingea portion having single needle fashion marks forming a line diverging from the selvage in the direction of knitting, said portion followed in the direction of knitting by a portion narrowed in each immediately suc cessive course and forming a double line composed of a plurality of single needle fashion marks per course.

' 3. A narrowed heel part for a single unit fullfashioned stocking comprising a portion having fashion marks forming a line diverging from the selvage in the direction of knitting, and a portion following said first portion in the direction of knitting and having a double line formed'of a pluralityof single needle fashion marks in each of a multiplicity of courses.

' 4. A narrowed heel part for a single unit stocking having a plurality of fashion marks in each of 'a number of narrowed courses and having a single fashion mark in each of a number of other narrowed courses, said marks all formed of initially next adjacent loops and arranged to form aplurality of substantially V-shaped figures of which the first and the last sides are composed largely of said marks arranged one per narrowed course.

'5. A narrowed heel part for a single unit fullfashioned stocking having fashion marks forming a line inclined to the wales and courses and crossing later knitted courses at points farther'from the selvage and having fashion marks forming lines inclined to the wales and courses and crossing later knitted courses .at points closer to the selvage.

6. A heel part of a single unit full-fashioned stocking having a widened portion provided with a line of lace openings, a narrowed portion following said portion in the direction of knitting and having fashion marks in each of a plurality of courses forming a line extending at an angle to the courses and crossing later knitted courses at points farther from the selvage, and a third portion following said second portion and having a plurality of fashion marks in each of a plurality of courses.

7. A single unit full-fashioned stocking comprising a reinforced heel part having a widened portion provided with a line of lace openings beginning within the reinforced area near its inner edge and running generally parallel to the selvage, anarrowed. portion following said widened portion in the direction of knitting having fashion marks forming a line extending at an angle to the courses and crossing later knitted courses at points farther from the selvage, and a third portion following said second portion and having a plurality of fashion marks in each of a plurality of courses forming lines crossing the courses at an angle and crossing later knitted courses at points closer to the selvage.

8. A single unit full-fashioned stocking comprising a heel part having a widened portion provided with lines of lace openings spaced from the selvages and running generally parallel thereto, a narrowed portion following said widened portion in the direction of knitting and having fashion marks therein formed of originally next adjacent loops arranged to form lines crossing later knitted courses at points farther from the selvages, and a second narrowed portion following said first narrowed portion and having fashion marks therein formed of originally next adjacent loops forming lines containing each a plurality of fashion marks in each of a multiplicity of courses.

9. A single unit full-fashioned stocking comprising a heel part having a widened portion provided with lines of lace openings spaced from the selvages and running generally parallel thereto, a narrowed portion following said widened portion in the direction of knitting having fashion marks arranged to form lines crossing later knitted courses at points farther from the selvage. and a second narrowed portion following said narrowed portion in the direction of knitting and having aplurality of fashion marks formed of originally next adjacent loops forming double lines of fashion marks following said lines, generally parallel to the selvages and extending to the end of the second narrowed portion, said double lines having fashion marks in the course immediately following the inner ends of said first lines and having the next two sets of fashion marks spaced by plain courses and the third set followed by a plurality of sets of fashion marks in immediately successive courses while the last two sets of fashion marks in the double lines are spaced from preceding narrowed courses by plain courses.

10. A full-fashioned stocking blank comprising an ankle part and a heel part widened and then narrowed to provide it with first rows of single needle fashion marks arranged one per course per row extending inwardly from the selvages in the direction of knitting and crossing the wales and courses at an angle thereto, said heel part provided also, following said first rows, with double rows of single needle fashion marks arranged two per course per row and substantially parallel to the selvages, the fashion marks in said first and double rows totaling sufficient to bring the selvages at the lower end of the heel part substantially into walewise alinement with the selvages of the ankle part.

11. A full-fashioned stocking blank comprising an ankle part, and a. heel part widened and then narrowed to provide it with first rows of single needle fashion marks arranged one per course per row extending inwardly from the selvages in the direction of knitting and crossing the wales and courses at an angle thereto, said heel part provided also, following said first rows, with double rows of single needle fashion marks arranged two per course per row and substantially parallel to the selvages, each wale containing a mark in said rows spaced from the next such wale by at least one plain wale.

12. A full-fashioned stocking blank comprising an ankle part, and a heel part provided with widening lines generally parallel to the selvages and with first rows of single needle fashion marks arranged one per course per row extending inwardly from the selvages in the direction of knitting and crossing the wales and courses at an angle thereto, said heel part provided also, following. said first rows, with double rows of single needle fashion marks arranged two per course per row and substantially parallel to the selvages, each wale containing a mark in said first rows spaced from the next such wale by at least one plain wale.

13. A heel part for a single unit stocking provided with a narrowed portion having lines of fashion marks beginning adjacent the selvages and extending inwardly from the selvages in the direction of knitting, said lines each having one mark per narrowed course for several narrowed courses, and double lines of fashion marks following said lines in the direction of knitting, each having two single needle narrowings per narrowed course and running generally parallel to the selvages.

14. A single unit stocking having heel parts provided with narrowed portions having single lines of fashion marks beginning adjacent the selvages and extending inwardly from the selvages in the direction of knitting, said lines each having one mark per narrowed course for several narrowed courses, a line of fashion marks following each of said lines in the direction of knitting and formed of two single needle narrowing marks per narrowed course and running generally parallel to the selvages, and a narrowed instep-sole part having lines of fashion marks arranged one in a given course and the lines generally parallel to the selvages, the marks in said last mentioned lines spaced one from the next by a plurality of courses and marks in next successive narrowed courses lying in different wales.

15. A full-fashioned stocking blank comprising an ankle part followed by a heel part having a widened portion provided with lines of lace openings spaced widely from the selvage and running generally parallel thereto, each opening of said lines having a coursewise extent of one wale, a narrowed portion following said portion in the direction of knitting and having fashion marks therein formed of originally next adjacent loops "and arranged to form lines extending each at an angle to the courses and wales and crossing later courses at points further from the selvage, and a second narrowed portion following said narrowed portion and having fashion marks therein formed of originally next adjacent loops and having a plurality of fashion marks relatively near 21 each selvage in each narrowed course forming double lines generally parallel to the selvages.

16. A narrowed heel part for a single unit stocking having fashion marks formed by initially next adjacent loops arranged to form at least one substantially V-shaped figure pointing away from the selvage.

17. A narrowed heel part for a flat knit single unit stocking including a portion having a plurality of fashion marks each formed by initially next adjacent loops occurring one per course per selvage and forming lines diverging from the selvages going in the direction of knitting, and a portion following said first portion in the direction of knitting having narrowed courses substantially as close together as in said first portion, containing substantially only fashion marks also formed of initially next adjacent loops and in each of which each edge loop is two wales inward from that in the previous course.

18. A narrowed heel part for a flat knit single unit stocking including a portion having a plurality of fashion marks each formed by initially next adjacent loops occurring one per course per selvage and forming lines diverging from the selvages going in the direction of knitting, and a portion following said first portion in the direction of knitting having narrowed courses substantially as close together as in said first portion, containing substantially onl single needle fashion marks and in which said fashion marks form double rows.

19. A narrowed heel part for a single unit stocking having fashion marks formed by initially next adjacent loops arranged some one per narrowed course per selvage, some two per narrowed course per selvage and to form at least two opposed substantially V-shaped figures pointing away from the selvages.

20. A single unit stocking including a narrowed instep-sole part having lines of fashion marks arranged one in a given course and the lines generally parallel to the selvages, said marks spaced one from the next by a plurality of courses and next successive marks adjacent a given selvage lying alternately closer and farther from the selvage.

21. A narrowed heel part for a flat knit single unit stocking having lines of fashion marks on opposite sides of the wale which lies substantially in the center of the stOCkl'Ilg while in the form of a blank and each forming a plurality of angles and each mark formed of initially next adjacent loops, said lines having two marks per course per selvage throughout their major portions but only one mark per course per selvage in portions near their ends and the end portions forming angles with next adjacent portions of the lines.

22. A narrowed heel part for a flat knit single unit stocking including a portion having fashion marks in each of a plurality of courses forming lines extending at angles to the wales and crossing later knitted courses at points farther from the selvages,- and a portion followin said portion and having a plurality of fashion marks in each of a multiplicity of next adjacent courses, all of said fashion marks :being formed substantially only of initially next adjacent loops.

23. In a single unit full-fashioned stocking, a heel part including a narrowed portion having fashion marks forming a line diverging from the selvage in the direction of knitting, said portion followed in the direction of knitting by a portion having a plurality of single needle fashion marks 22' in each of a plurality of courses forming parallel lines.

24. A single unit full-fashioned stocking blank having heel structures including both widened and narrowed heel portions, each said narrowed portion extending a walewise distance constituting a substantial portion of the walewise length of the widened portion and from the last narrowed course therein nearest the toe in the direction toward the welt to and including a course next one whose length equals the maximum width between the selvages of the blank, and said narrowed portions containing single needlenarrowings only and in such number as to include in the narrowed area an average of between three and four narrowings per course over the entire narrowed portion.

25. A narrowed heel portion for a single unit full-fashioned stocking having a plurality of narrowing-lines along each selvage, all of said lines extending progressivel in the direction of knitting, spaced therefrom substantially throughout the length of the lines and all composed substantially entirely of fashion marks formed of originally next adjacent loops, and the number of said fashion marks in the portion totalling between three and four times the number of courses in the portion.

26. A heel section for a single unit full fashioned stocking having a narrowed portion extending from the end of the heel section nearer the toe in the direction toward the welt for a substantial number of courses to a course adjacent one Whose length equals the maximum width between the selvages of the heel section, the selvages of said narrowed portion approaching each other, going in the direction of knitting, at a rate between three and four loops per course of said entire narrowed portion, said section containing substantially only fashion marks formed of originally next adjacent loops.

27. A heel section for a single unit full-fashioned stocking having a widened portion and a narrowed portion whose selvages approach each other, going in the direction of knitting, at a rate more than three but less than four loops per course of the narrowed portion beginning at the lower end of the widened portion and extending to the lower end of the heel narrowings, said narrowed portion containing substantially only fashion marks formed of originally next adjacent loops and constituting a substantial portion of the walewise length of the widened portion.

28. A heel section for a single unit full-fashioned stocking having a widened portion containing outwardly transferred loops and gore lines spaced materially from the selvages and substantially parallel thereto but whose selvages diverge, going in the direction of knitting, at a rate of substantially one loop per course, and a narrowed portion whose selvages converge, going in the direction of knitting, at a rate more than three but less than four loops per course of the portion beginning at the end of the widened portion and extending to the end of the narrowed portion, the narrowed portion extending over more than twenty courses and containing substantially only fashion marks formed of originally next adjacent loops.

29. A single unit flat knit stocking having a heel part containing substantially only narrowing fashion marks formed of originally next adjacent loops, narrowed in all but a relatively Very few courses in a portion extending from the end of the portion nearer the toe toward the welt to a course whose length equals the maximum distance between the selvages of said part, and earrowed at a combined rate of four loops per narrowed course in all but a few of the narrowed courses in said portion.

30. A single unit flat knit stocking having a heel part containing substantially only narrowing marks formed of originally next adjacent loops, a portion of said part narrowed in all but a relatively very few courses and extending from the end of said part nearer the toe to the course nearest said end whose length equals the maximum distance between the selvages of said part, narrowed at the combined rate of nearly four loops per narrowed course in said portion and narrowed at an over-all rate of more than three loops per course over said entire portion of the heel part.

31. A single unit fiat knit stocking having heel part containing substantially only narrowing fashion marks formed of originally next adjacent loops, a portion of said part narrowed in all but a relatively few courses of the portion and extending from the end of said part nearer the toe to the course nearest said end whose length equals the maximum distance between the selvages of said part, narrowed at the combined rate of four loops per narrowed course for large majority of the courses in the portion, narrowed at an over- 24 all rate of more than three loops per course over said portion, and said portion followed immediately by unfashioned section. of material walewise length.

PAUL SCHMIDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,404,702 Thierfelder Jan. 24, 1922 1,862,416 Nebel June 7, 1932 1,941,296 Gastrich Dec. 26, 1933 2,154,602 Berger Apr. 18, 1939 2,259,974 Haehnel Oct. 21, 1941 2,288,672 Berger July 7, 1942 2,301,468 Smetana Nov. 10, 1942 2,319,224 Garrett May 18, 1943 2,330,683 Cobert Sept. 28, 1943 2,340,266 Goodman Jan. 25, 1944 2,405,331 Sanderson Aug. 6, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,272 Great Britain of 1914 558,301 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1943 

